So, almost a year into it, let’s have a reality check. Have we eaten clean 100% of the time? No way-but our diet is DRASTICALLY different than it used to be.

In fact, to keep it real, you must know that I had a serious addiction to girl scout cookies this year. A clean eating fail? Yes! But, I ate through what I bought (which was a lot…..) and am back on the wagon.

Here is what our Clean Eating looks like these days

100% Whole Wheat bread, all the time. Never any processed white flour, thank you. This includes all bread-sandwich bread, naan bread, “french” bread. I have yet to start making my own bread, so for now I stick with the Ezekiel brand. You must read the label carefully to find true 100% whole wheat bread!

Brown Rice, 100% of the time. I haven’t purchased white rice is almost a year!

We have been very successfully avoiding, for a year, food with artificial colors, or dyes. Have my children had these things? Yes, but at places like school parties, playgroups and grandparent’s house. My children’s behavior is SO different now that we have cut all sources of artificial dyes. For real, it’s way better!

TONS of fresh fruits and veggies. I’m always looking for ways to incorporate more into our diet. I can honestly say, a year into this, my taste buds and my children’s have changed.

I haven’t purchased white, refined sugar in almost a year. It’s all coconut sugar over here. I buy it in bulk from Amazon. I’ve totally converted all my baking to using coconut sugar. I can’t tell a difference anymore!

Organic, free range chicken is the about the only meat we eat, period. My husband is vegetarian, and I just don’t buy red meat. We eat chicken maybe once a week. So, this really keeps my food bill down.

A few times this past year I have splurged and bought uncured, nitrate free bacon. It. is. awesome. It tastes better than cheap-o bacon to me. It’s not cheap though! So it’s a treat.

We continue to avoid anything that isn’t “real food”. Nothing that is made in a factory, comes in a box, or is found in the freezer section. We simply don’t buy those things.

I hope you will check out some of my past weekly menu’s. They have lots of awesome, clean meal ideas!

In the bowl of an electric mixer, thoroughly mix the flour, cocoa, baking soda and powder, salt, sugar and vital wheat gluten. While pulsing, or on low speed, add the butter, and then the egg. Continue processing or mixing until dough comes together in a mass.

Take rounded teaspoons of batter and place on a parchment paper-lined baking sheet approximately two inches apart. With moistened hands, slightly flatten the dough. Bake for 9 minutes, rotating once for even baking. Set baking sheets on a rack to cool.

To make the filling, place cream cheese, vanilla extract, and honey in a stand mixer, and beat until well blended.

To assemble the cookies, in a pastry bag with a 1/2 inch, round tip, pipe teaspoon-size blobs of cream into the center of one cookie. Place another cookie, equal in size to the first, on top of the cream. Lightly press, to work the filling evenly to the outsides of the cookie. Continue this process until all the cookies have been sandwiched with cream. Dunk generously in a large glass of milk.

**I refrigerated my cookies after they were cooled and filled, since the filling is cream cheese based**

Dough: Place milk and 4 Tbs butter in a microwave safe bowl. Heat on high for 1 minute 30 seconds. Butter should be at least partially melted. Stir and set aside. In a large mixing bowl whisk together 2 C whole wheat pastry flour, yeast, white sugar, salt, vital wheat gluten, and baking powder. When milk mixture has cooled to warm (not hot) add it to the flour mixture along with the egg while the beater (paddle attachment for those using a stand mixer) is running. Beat until well combined, about 1 minute. (Switch to the dough hook now) Add remaining flour only until dough barely leaves the sides of the bowl. It should be very soft and slightly sticky. (the softer your dough, the softer your rolls!!) Continue to let the dough knead for 5 minutes. If you are not using a stand mixer, turn dough out onto floured surface and knead for 5 minutes by hand. Turn dough out onto a floured surface and let rest for about 10 minutes while you make the filling.

Filling: make sure butter is softened well. Mix with coconut sugar and cinnamon.

Assembly: Roll dough into a rectangle about 12 x 14 inches. Spread coconut sugar mixture (it will be slightly thick, you might have to “crumble” it) over the surface and use your fingers or the back of a spoon to gently spread around. Roll up from the longer side of the rectangle and pinch edges closed. Score the roll into 12 equal pieces and then cut into rolls. Place in a 9 x 13 pan that has been sprayed with cooking spray. Cover pan with a clean towel and let rise in a warm place for about 30 minutes. (I let mine rise about 2 hours….they got nice and BIG!)

In the mean time, preheat oven to 350 degrees.

When rolls have finished rising bake for 15-20 minutes or until light golden brown. If desired spread with icing while still warm. Makes 12 rolls.

Cook’s Notes: I use vital wheat gluten and baking powder in my baking, to make the results more fluffy and light. Whole Wheat Pastry Flour is pretty awesome on it’s own (not heavy & dense), but these two added ingredients really take whole wheat baking to another level!

Preheat oven to 375.
Dissolve yeast in warm water.
Add remaining ingredients and make soft dough.
Place dough in lightly oiled bowl, and allow to rise until doubled (30 mins)
Punch down dough after 30 minutes.
Melt 2 Tbs of butter, and pour in 9×13 baking dish. Evenly coat the bottom of the dish.
Roll out the dough to fit pan.
Place dough in pan.
Pour remaining 2 Tbs of melter butter on the top of the dough, evenly coating.
Cut the dough into strips lengthwise and then one cut vertically down the middle so as to halve the long strips. (see picture)

Top with garlic salt, Parmesan Cheese, and parsley.
Allow dough to rest for 10 minutes, to give it time to puff slightly.
Bake at 375 approximately 20 minutes, or until golden brown.